When we think of fitness, we think of going to a gym and working out with weights, machines or taking an aerobics class. Some might think fitness is going for a jog or riding their bicycle. Those are ways one can be physically fit, but in the realm of finances, there are routine exercises we can incorporate to help build our financial fitness.
Assessment
Before you start any fitness program, you have to assess where you are. In our physical body, that might mean taking our measurements or weighing ourselves on a scale. We need base numbers to know how to create our plan for improvement. With financial fitness, you want to look at what you have, what types of accounts and whether there’s room for improvement.
Awareness and Acknowledgement
Now that you know what you have and where it is, are you happy with it? If not, how do you plan to improve your situation? How do you hold on to what you have and how can you make it grow? Being aware and acknowledging brings reality to your finances and puts you in the position of making changes.
Plan of Attack
Just like in any fitness program, you have to work out a plan of attack. If you’re trying to lose weight, you would start with documenting what you eat and how much physical exercise you do. The same principle can be applied to financial fitness. Keeping track of what you spend and what you spend it on can help you see where you need to curb expenses. It doesn’t mean you can’t splurge now and then, but it does help you see where money might be flowing out more than you would like. Whether you use a financial app on your phone or a good old-fashioned pencil and paper to write down your daily outflow of funds, the key is being committed to tracking it. Once tracked, you can decide what your next steps will be. It might be to open a savings account or to curb a fast food habit where money flows out more than it should. Financial stress can lead to a tremendous amount of anxiety and create unhappiness. When you practice financial fitness, you improve not only your finances, but your happiness level.
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